The Golden Door -Meeting The New Age With Vintage Spa Savvy

The Golden Door, the stellar spa that set the stage for the others, has retained its crown by keeping pace with the times, from the personalized spa day to cuisine that thwarts pounds while satisfying even the fussiest guest. Awards are too numerous to list. The highest accolades range from its being rated the number one spa in the Robb Report’s 1998 “Best of the Best” to its coveted rating as the number one spa in America by Zagat’s U.S. Hotel, Resort and Spa Guide every year since-that survey began in 1988.

The Golden Door opened in 1958 and from the beginning has added programs that reflect the changing needs of men and women: fitness classes, creative spa cuisine for specific dietary requirements, and perfectly maintained accommodations. The spa accepts only thirty-nine guests on a seven-day program that begins each Sunday. There are more than four staff members per guest, including twenty-two instructors in the fitness department, each with a university degree. You’ll get a perfect night’s rest after putting yourself through a plethora of classes, ranging from sunrise hiking to tap or jazz dancing, from weight training and water volleyball to strength and flexibility classes. The day is a harmonious schedule of upbeat fitness in the morning tempered by a generous array of passive activities later in the day.

In addition to a conventional daily massage, you can choose from aromatherapy, seaweed thalassotherapy, moortherapy, and deep-cleansing facials that combine mineral masques with chamomile. A personal exercise therapist is assigned to each guest for the entire week with the goal of overseeing the schedule and charting daily progress.

The weather is year-round perfect in this 377-acre rural corner of San Diego County, 30 miles north of San Diego and 8 miles north of Escondido. Sunny days here number 341, making it one of the most geographically desirable spots in the United States. In this Utopian setting, the Golden Door unfolds its serene Japanese theme, reflected in the bell courtyard, sand garden, and architecture. Each guest is given a Japanese yukata (cotton robe) along with warm-up clothing, T-shirts, and shorts. The “uniform” is a great equalizer and takes the competitive edge off dressing up (or down, as the case may be).

Deborah Szekely, founder of Rancho La Puerta in 1940, created the Golden Door’s programs, the first destination spa recognized for lavish personalized service in a stunning Asian ambience. With dedication and ability to change with the times, the Golden Door legend continues to flourish and recharge the lives of those who participate in its time-tested program.